Kai Wright: Bishop Eddie Long and the Lessons of Self-Hate

Bishop Eddie Long has been under fire for allegedly coercing young men into having sexual acts with the married father of four. These acts are alleged to have occurred when the men were teens, and the outspoken, homophobic, anti-gay marriage marcher is at the center of the drama. Kai Wright discusses Long's alleged homosexuality, which was more than a whisper in the Atlanta community. Wright calls it "conventional wisdom." Others call it hypocrisy or self-loathing, which Wright unearths. Apparently, there was an initiation process in becoming a "Longfellow," which was to train men to love, live and lead on their "masculine journey." One accuser says that there was a "Covenant Ceremony," in which Parris (the accuser) was "made" into one of Long's "spiritual sons." He also allegedley required the lad to call him "Daddy." Wright suggests that Long's self-hatred made him pull other people whom he had identified as spiritually weak into his "abyss." We're still waiting for someone to call it like it is: If the allegations are true, then Long is a sexual predator who used the Bible, his church and position of power to prey on young, boys -- period. Tyrese, Ted Haggard and all of those "lined up behind him" might want to rethink their so-called allegiances. Is it to Long or is it to God? FYI to many -- they are not one and the same.